A disclaimer: I used to think sweet peppers were tasteless and boring. Mostly the shiny, fat green ones found in nearly every supermarket. Yes, there was a juicy crunch but not much flavor. I never understood their appeal.
But this time of year, when peppers come in a rainbow of colors and shapes and sizes and flavors, it’s hard not to rethink sweet peppers.
I spent the past few weeks experimenting with sweet peppers and have totally changed my tune. They bring so much color to the kitchen. I eat them sliced and raw as a snack. They can be sautéed and added to chicken, fish and beef dishes, or used as a topping for pasta and rice dishes. They can be pickled and marinated. They add crunch to salads and sandwiches.
And, when you read up on the health benefits of sweet peppers you’ll wonder why we don’t eat them daily. They are said to boost your immune system, are low in calories, offer fiber, protein, vitamin C, A and B6, and improve digestion.
These three dishes, which come from all over the globe, show off the power of sweet peppers in early fall to create quick meals. The first is my take on an Italian dish, peperonata. A gorgeous combination of sautéed peppers and onions, topped with fried capers, oregano, vinegar and olive oil. It makes a great first course, and can be spooned on top of crusty bread, or used to top slices of baguette with whipped feta or ricotta. It’s also excellent served with grilled fish, sautéed chicken, or nearly anything.
The second recipe is an egg dish from North Africa, the ultimate brunch dish, shakshuka. Sweet peppers are added to the dish in two ways: roasted into a tomato sauce, topped with eggs, feta cheese and more thin slices of pepper for crunch.
Finally an Asian-style stir fry of marinated beef with a variety of thinly sliced peppers. It makes a great, super quick weeknight dinner with a side of rice.
For the freshest, sweetest, most colorful pepper, look to farmer’s markets and local farm stands. ‘
Pro-tip: Seek out new pepper varieties. Find my primer on my favorite types of peppers here.
Peperonata
This Italian-style side dish combines peppers sautéed with onions until silky soft, then topped with fried capers, oil, chili flakes, vinegar and oregano. It’s an ideal side dish to any roast dinner — chicken, beef or seafood — and is also wonderful served on crostini with whipped ricotta or feta. Serves 4 to 6.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large sweet peppers (red, orange, yellow and/or green) or 6 smaller peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced, about 2 cups
- 1 medium onion, red or yellow, very thinly sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 ½ tablespoons capers, drained, and thoroughly dried on paper towel
- Dash red chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar, or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Few fresh oregano leaves or coarsely chopped parsley for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium large skillet, heat 1 ½ tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the peppers, onions, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to turn brown along the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a serving plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil to the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the capers and cook, stirring, until they begin to “pop” and start to open, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer the capers on top of the peppers and onions.
- Add a dash of the chili flakes and the oregano to the skillet and turn off the heat. Add the vinegar(s) to the still hot skillet and stir it around until it stops bubbling. Pour over the peppers and onions and capers and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Garnish with oregano leaves or parsley.
Shakshuka with peppers
There are endless variations of this beloved baked egg and tomato dish that hails from North Africa. Here, I focus on using a variety of peppers to sweeten and also spice up the egg dish.
Peppers are roasted into a tomato sauce and then also placed on top with the eggs and feta for a crunchy topping. Serve with warm pita or crusty bread for brunch, breakfast or dinner. Serves 2 to 4.
INGREDIENTS
The tomato-pepper sauce
- 2 cups fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped, or 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Red pepper chili flakes
- 1 red, yellow, orange or green pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 poblano pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
The eggs, feta and peppers
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 small red, yellow, or orange pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- In a medium, ovenproof skillet, gently toss the tomatoes (or tomato sauce), garlic, a dash of red chili flakes, the pepper slices, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on the middle shelf for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until the tomatoes break down and the peppers are softened. Remove from the oven.
- Crack the eggs into the tomato mixture, spacing them out so they don’t touch. Sprinkle on the feta and pepper slices. Bake for about 7 to 11 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs or until the whites are set and the yolks no longer look raw.
- Remove and sprinkle with cilantro or parsley and warm pita bread or crusty bread.
Stir-fried beef with peppers
Deeply satisfying and quick to put together, this beef and pepper dish is a variation of a Chinese (some might call it Chinese American) classic.
Beef is thinly sliced, marinated in soy, cornstarch, sesame oil and pepper, and then stir fried with several types of pepper, onion, ginger and garlic. The whole thing is finished off with honey. Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
The beef and marinade:
- 1 pound strip, flank, skirt, or rib eye steak, very thinly sliced with the grain
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
The peppers and flavorings:
- ½ to 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large clove garlic finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
- 4 peppers (red, yellow, green and/or orange), cored, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon honey
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, gently toss the beef slices with the cornstarch, soy sauce, generous amount of pepper, vegetable oil and sesame oil. Make sure the meat is thoroughly coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature or cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In a wok or a large, heavy skillet, heat enough oil to very lightly coat the bottom of the wok or skillet; place over high heat.
- When the oil is shimmering and hot, add the beef with the marinade in one single layer and cook for 2 minutes, without touching. Gently flip the meat over and cook for another minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the wok and set aside on a plate.
- Add the garlic, ginger, peppers and onions to the wok and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the meat back to the wok along with the soy sauce, rice wine and honey and cook, stirring, for another minute. Taste for seasoning adding more pepper or soy sauce as needed.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2026 WBUR